


Project Earplugs

by thistreasurehunter



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: A bit of light meddling, F/M, Future JJ/Reader, Future Kie/Pope, Humor, John B ships JJ/Reader and Kie/Pope, Pogues (Outer Banks), Pogues being Pogues, Texting, Whatsapp, tomfoolery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24895147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thistreasurehunter/pseuds/thistreasurehunter
Summary: Snippets from The Pogues' WhatsApp messages.
Relationships: JJ (Outer Banks)/Original Female Character(s), JJ/Reader, Kiara/Pope (Outer Banks)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in a slight AU – the reader has always been one of the Pogues and none of the events of season 1 have taken place.  
> Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the Outer Banks characters or settings.

**The Pogues WhatsApp Group Chat**

JJ: I’m ravished. Like, seriously. My stomach just growled so loudly Miss Watts started looking out the window

JJ: So, I’m thinking free food at The Wreck tonight, who’s in??

John B: I don’t think that means what you think it means bro

You: I’m in!

John B: Yeah, me too

JJ: (replying to: “I don’t think that means what you think it means bro”) what??

Kie: Whoa guys

You: Where even are you JJ?

Pope: He means famished.

Pope: Also, I’m in

JJ: Detention

John B: Ah, stealth detention messaging. Nice.

Kie: Seriously, wait a sec guys, I need to check with my dad

You: But Kie… JJ needs shrimp and grits and to be told he’s ravishing!

John B: What was Miss Watts looking for?

JJ: An angry dog, I think.

John B: wtf

JJ: (replying to: “But Kie, JJ needs shrimp and grits and to be told he’s ravishing!”) After a quick google, happy to say I’d be okay with that mate 😉

Pope: Now I’m picturing JJ as the heroine in an old Hollywood black and white…. Someone pass me the brain bleach

You: hahahahaha!

You: Someone needs to Photoshop this!

JJ: I take it back. Just shrimp and grits please

JJ: So, meet at The Wreck in an hour?

John B: Yep

Pope: Cool. See you there.

You: On my way

Kie: Seriously guys, you’re lucky my dad only pretends not to like you. He’s said it’s fine btw. See you soon.

********************************************************************  
**WhatsApp Chat with JJ**

JJ: No

You: 😈

JJ: Don’t

You: No promises

You: Grace Kelly?

JJ: Not funny

You: Lana Turner?

JJ 😣

JJ: Fine, Audrey Hepburn

You: No way you could pull off Hepburn

JJ: Um, well, Marilyn Monroe then. Final offer

You: Sold

JJ: If I didn’t know you better I might be worried, but I know you’ll never be bothered to actually do this

You: I might surprise you

JJ: Not possible

You: Whatever

You: You out yet?

JJ: Yeah, she just let us go

You: Pick me up on your way?

JJ: Sure mate

You: Woop woop, shrimp awaits!

You: Well played with that btw 😊

JJ: Skill McGill

You: Dork

********************************************************************  
**Whatsapp Chat between you and JJ**

You: OMG, did you see that?!

JJ: Yeah

You: He’s being really obvious!

You: Why doesn’t Kie notice?!

You: I mean, he’s not being very subtle

JJ: Yeah, they need to bang already

You: Nicely put

You: Do people even say bang anymore?

JJ: I just did, so yeah

You: Seriously, they would be so cute together!

JJ: Agreed.

JJ: Also, the banging. That needs to happen

You: Sigh

********************************************************************  
**John B created new WhatsApp group**  
**John B added Kie and Pope to new group**  
**John B named new group: “What are they even?!”**  
**John B: They’re side texting again**

Kie: Yep, caught that

Pope: What?

Kie: Seriously Pope, how could you miss that?! They’ve been sitting right in front of us all night!

Pope: Yeah, but what’s new?

Pope: Seriously though, isn’t that also what we’re doing right now?

Kie: Touché

John B: Yeah, but this is the first time we have and they literally do it all the time. Also, we waited until we got home to talk about them, we’re not sitting at the same table

Pope: True. But, so what? We all know they’ve got their own little thing going on – the super intense side friendship within the main friendship group.

Kie: Yes, but they should be more than friends! They’re clearly perfect for each other, but they’re both too dumb to see it!

John B: Truer words

Kie: We should help them

Pope: What?

John B: YES!

Kie: Stage 1: We need to get them to realise they have feelings for each other.

Kie: Stage 2: We need to get one of them to make a move.

Pope: But what if they don’t want to jeopardize their friendship?

Kie: Stage 3: We then all need to get earplugs for when we stay over that the Chateau, because the nocturnal noise levels will get ridiculous

John B: Gross. I love it. I’m in.

John B changed the name of the group to “Project Earplugs”

Pope: There are so many variables here that we haven’t though about

John B: Buzz kill

Kie: Come on Pope! It’ll be fun!

John B: Just a little bit of harmless meddling

Kie: Would you feel better if we made you Project Manager?

Pope: Haha, very funny.

Pope: I want veto power

John B: Not if you’re just going to veto everything

Pope: Well, if I make a spreadsheet you’ve both got to listen while I explain it. I think we should properly examine the variables first, our actions could have severe consequences. Then I’ll come up with a few ideas for actioning Stage 1. We should properly discuss the options before we act.

John B: Wow Pope, you’ve just made something fun sound like homework.

Pope: Can’t reply now, spreadsheeting.

********************************************************************  
**WhatsApp chat between John B and Kie**

John B: Project Manager? You’ve created a monster

Kie: He’s just being Pope

John B: OMG, a spreadsheet! Seriously Kie, what have you done?! Haha

Kie: He’s just concerned about his friends. I think it’s sweet.

John B: Okaaaay

********************************************************************

**WhatsApp chat between John B and JJ**

John B: I get so annoyed when there’s something that needs to be made fun of and you’re not there.

JJ: What are you on about bro?

JJ: You know I’m in the spare room right? Who needs making fun of? You could literally shout it from there and I could hear you

John B: Yeah, never mind

JJ: Whatever dude

********************************************************************

**WhatsApp chat between you and JJ**

JJ: John B’s being weird

You: huh?

JJ: I think he might have forgotten I was in the house

You: Jeez, what did you walk in on?!

JJ: Nothing like that

JJ: He’s just messaged me about teasing someone and complained I wasn’t there to hear it. Idk what that was about

You: You’re right, weird

JJ: Tbh, didn’t think you’d text back tonight, bit late for you isn’t it? wyd? 😉

You: Mind out of the gutter please

You: Nothing much, just on my laptop proving you wrong

JJ: No

You: Yep. Surprise, surprise!

JJ: No way

**You sent a picture file.**

You: Night Marilyn 😊

JJ: Oh dear God


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snippets from The Pogues’ WhatsApp messages. John B, Kie and Pope continue to plot how to get JJ and the reader together, while JJ and the reader continue to be oblivious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set in a slight AU – the reader has always been one of the Pogues and none of the events of season 1 have taken place.  
> Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the Outer Banks characters or settings.

**WhatsApp chat between you and JJ**

JJ: I bet I can get you to say red

You: Dude, it’s 6am

JJ: Bet you I can

You: I only have one eye open

JJ: Chicken

You: Fine

JJ: What color is the sky?

You: Blue

JJ What color is the grass?

You: Green

JJ: But what color is the sky?

You: How high are you right now?

JJ: Waiting

You: Still blue

JJ: Ha! Got you

You: No J, you said red

JJ: BOOM!

JJ: And there it is ladies and gentlemen

You: …

You: Okay, that was actually quite good

JJ: hahahaha

JJ: The upside of everyone assuming you’re dumb

JJ: When you’re actually a piesic wizard

You: Yeah, you only had to text me at stupid o’clock before my first coffee to catch me out

You: Also, piesic?

JJ: Yeah, you know, the mental ninjas

You: Do you mean psychic?

JJ: Yeah! The guys with the leather couches, tell me about your childhood, is this your card guys. But with fewer magical rabbits and more brain cunning

You: I think you might be mixing up psychologists and psychiatrists with magicians

You: Sigmund Copperfield rising up like Frankenstein’s creature from the marshes of the OBX

JJ: That’s such a piesic wizard kind of name

You: I really need coffee rn

You: (replying to “The upside of everyone assuming you’re dumb”) Also, for the record, despite the direction this convo went, I don’t think you’re dumb

JJ: Me neither, although I think the rest of the world disagrees with us

You: That’s just the overwhelming majority of all life on earth.

You: What do they know?!

JJ: Obviously

JJ: Anyway, hurry up and get showered sleeping beauty, I’m coming over to copy your math homework before first period

**********************************************************************************

**The Pogues WhatsApp Group Chat**

You: Who wants to hang tonight? I’m thinking B-list movie marathon

JJ: CHUD!

Pope: No CHUD

JJ: Did you even watch the trailer?

Pope: Yes, that’s why I say no CHUD

JJ: I don’t believe you, I’m sending the link again

**JJ sends link to group**

Kie: Sorry guys, can’t tonight, promised I’d help my dad out

John B: Heads up, I only have beans, Fruit Loops and hot sauce in, so if we’re marathoning at the Chateau it’s going to be BYO snack food

You: (replying to “Did you even watch the trailer?”) My favourite bit is where they say CHUD.

JJ: lmao

Pope: Actually guys, think I’m going to work on my scholarship essay tonight

You: Boo! When you could be CHUD-ing it up with us

Pope: Tempting, but I’ll pass

John B: Hang on, what are we watching again??

You: CHUD!

JJ: CHUD!

John B: Oh yeah, forgot for a sec… not!

John B: Shall we swing by for snacks on the way back then guys?

JJ: Can’t

You: Detention

Kie: What, both of you?

JJ: Yeah.

You: Who knew taking off your shirt and yelling “Come at be bro” would be considered disruptive for other students, even if it was to demonstrate the answer to the age old question: What Would Macbeth Do?

Kie: Oh, JJ

JJ: No. Not “Oh, JJ”

Kie: What?!

You: Don’t try and take the high road J, wolf whistling, then chanting “Burn the hubbling bubbling witch” while spinning round on a swivel chair is also disruptive.

JJ: And enabling behaviour, apparently.

John B: Aren’t you guys doing Wuthering Heights?

You: Technicality

JJ: But feel free to go ahead and get us snacks though, dude

You: I’ll have Twizzlers!

JJ: Milk Duds!

Pope: You both really do bring out the best in each other.

****************************************************************************

**WhatsApp chat between you and JJ**

JJ: Did you see, as soon as Kie said she wasn’t coming, Pope bailed

You: Yeah, like I said, obvious much

JJ: Where are you?

You: On my way, just have to stop by my locker

JJ: Cool, bring your ruler

You: Y?

JJ: I have rubber bands and an idea

JJ: Also, hurry up, we’ve got the Bunsen burners out today – I bet I can hold my hand in the yellow flame for longer than you

You: You’re on

***************************************************************************************

**Project Earplugs Group Chat**

John B: Thanks for that guys. Now it’s just me left with the pair of them tonight

John B: Third wheel in my own house

Kie: Yeah, have fun with that!

Pope: When I’m having a break from the essay I’ll try and do a bit of strategy research. We need to get cracking with this plan

Kie: Looks who’s into the idea all of a sudden

Pope: I was never not into it

Pope: I just think we need to give it some real thought first

John B: I just think the sooner they get together, the sooner they can channel all that energy and UST into other activities. Like resolving the ST. Rather than whatever happened in English today.

Kie: That was some level 10 chaotic energy

Pope: And it’s probably only going to get worse before it gets better

John B: I’ll text you any updates tonight

Pope: Joy, I definitely won’t put my phone on silent


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snippets from The Pogues’ WhatsApp messages. John B live-texts film night and gathers evidence, while Pope turns to fan fiction for inspiration.

**Project Earplugs Group Chat**

John B: Well, the movie’s just gone on.

John B: They claimed the sofa – obviously – so I’m in the chair and can text freely where they can’t see

John B: Not that they’d notice anyway

John B: They’re currently having a discussion about camera angles and POV shots

John B: Btw, JJ turned up with a singed eyebrow!?

John B: Now they’re talking about the female gaze

John B: #flirtyfilmnerds

Kie: Seriously JB, don’t feel the need to live-text the whole night. They’re our friends too, we know what they’re like. We literally see them act like this all the time.

John B: No, I think I should! It’s like collecting evidence!

John B: Like, if ever they find out about our meddling, we can present them with all these examples of their repressed love for each other and why we were just helping open their oblivious little eyes

Pope: That’s not a bad idea actually.

Pope: We should flag this stuff so we can easily find it later

Kie: I thought you were supposed to be writing your essay.

Pope: I am, you’re both distracting me.

John B: EVIDENCE – she’s got her feet in his lap now

Pope: I thought you were helping your dad?!

John B: Have you ever heard of a game called flicker-wacker? They’ve mentioned it about 5 times so far

Pope: Kie?

Kie: Break’s over, gotta go – the tips don’t earn themselves! 😊

John B: They’re mostly watching the film now

John B: Oh, but wait!

John B: EVIDENCE – he’s started, sort of, rubbing her feet! Bit like a lowkey massage. They’re still both watching the movie

John B: I’m gonna try and get a covert photo

 **John B sent a photo**  


Pope: photographic evidence – nice touch!

Pope: So, I’ve been doing a bit of research – according to the internet, this appears to be a “friends to lovers” situation and there seems to be several different ways this arc can be resolved.

John B: Newsflash Pope! Reading Sherlock fanfic is not research!

Pope: Shut up!

Pope: Also, it can be

John B: EVIDENCE – pretty sure I just heard her moan a little

John B: Again, what happened with the essay?

Pope: Guys, enough with the nagging – I did a solid 20 minutes, now I’m having a break

John B: Just looking out for our brainiac - #weheartpopesscholarshipsuccess

Pope: Okay, well thanks, I guess

Pope: Anyway, a few scenarios I’ve come across so far are: fake dating, sharing body warmth to stop hypothermia, making one jealous of a potential new love interest, accidental/forced bed sharing, platonically raising a baby they get joint responsibility of somehow, sex or die and soulmate au. There are probably more, I’m still looking

Pope: Guys…?

Pope: Why’ve you gone quiet?

John B: Um, okaaay.

John B: Tbh, not what I was expecting you to say

Pope: Oh. Like how?

John B: Still processing

John B: I don’t even know what some of these things are

Pope: Which?

John B: Um, the last two for a start 🤨

Pope: I’ll send you a few links

 **Pope attached links**  


John B: Is this really the kind of stuff you read? I thought you read proper books?

Pope: Again, shut up. Don’t fan shame me. It’s completely okay to enjoy reading fanfic as well as ‘intellectual’ books!

Kie: 100% agree.

Kie: I’m just more intrigued about how we’ll be able to facilitate a soulmate au to get them together?

Kie: Or how either of them could get so cold they’re at risk of hypothermia, in summer in the OBX?

Kie: Or where the surprise baby will come from!?

John B: Maybe you two could have a kid, make them godparents, then die tragically, leaving your beautiful defenseless baby in their incompetent hands?

Kie: Um, that really would be playing the long game

Kie: Also, we’d end up dead, so not the best possible outcome thanks!

Pope: Also, we’d definitely want our baby to be raised by one or both sets of our parents

John B: Bit of a serious reaction to a joke there, dude

John B: At least you know Pope has a plan for if ever that did happen Kie! 🤣

Pope: Eugh, maybe I should go back to my essay!

John B: hahahaha

John B: EVIDENCE – she’s just got up for a drink and trailed her fingers through his hair on the way past

Kie: The jealousy idea isn’t too bad.

Kie: We could probably pull something off along those lines at the Boneyard kegger tomorrow

John B: Actually, that does sound do-able

Pope: See, my suggestions weren’t that stupid after all

Kie: Debatable

John B: Dude, do you know one of the links you sent me was about tentacle porn?

Pope: Um, was it? I wonder how that managed to get there? Well, yeah, just ignore that one

John B: 😂

John B: hahahaha! Sheepish much!

John B: EVIDENCE – They’ve moved position on the sofa and he’s now got his arm around her shoulders and she’s resting her head on his chest

John B: Conclusive evidence, if you ask me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BONUS: John B's covert photo can be seen on my Tumblr @thistreasurehunter


End file.
